A Brief Look at Crime 01/09 – 01/15

Milton C. Carnes, a decorated former firefighter and ex-treasurer of the Steelton Volunteer Fire Company, was sentenced to 7 years’ probation today for stealing more than $62,500 from the unit between 2005 and 2010. Dauphin County Judge Scott A. Evans imposed that penalty after a half-dozen uniformed firefighters, Carnes’ former colleagues, attended the court hearing and urged him to be lenient. Assistant Public Defender Dana Wucinski said the thefts stemmed from Carnes’ gambling addiction. Carnes, 34, went to the district attorney’s office and admitted to the embezzlement last January. Deputy District Attorney Jason McMurry backed the probation proposal, saying that is what the fire company wanted. Evans, who called the case a “heart-wrenching shame all the way around,” also ordered Carnes to pay at least $500 a month in restitution.

A Lakemoor man accused of beating his sister to death with a blunt object — possibly a hammer — wants to represent himself in court. Mark Lewis, 51, told a Will County judge Monday he believes he can adequately defend himself because he understands the case against him and can read and write. The comments were met by a “strong” recommendation from Judge Richard Schoenstedt for Lewis to consider a public defender. But Lewis refused to fill out the necessary paperwork, maintaining he wants no assistance. Family members told investigators Mark Lewis has paranoid schizophrenia and is a gambling addict. Several weeks before the killing, they said, he took on an “escalated psychotic state” after being told the family was “cutting him off” financially, according to court records. He also was being evicted for unpaid rent.

A man who has admitted to killing his wife and mother of their three children, told a court today that he had not intended to commit the crime. But the prosecution called for life imprisonment and said that the fact that the accused had carried a knife in his bag showed that this was premeditated murder. Roger Agius 49, of Fgura, admitted to fatally stabbing his estranged wife Catherine, 41, just before he was to undergo a trial by jury this morning. Dr Nadine Sant, prosecuting, said a husband killing the wife he was expected to protect was the worst act. The murder, she said, was premeditated because the accused had been carrying a knife. He stabbed her close to her heart with such force that even part of the handle penetrated the body. This man had a drinking and gambling problem and even evicted the family from their home so that he could enjoy his lifestyle.

ST. LOUIS — When forced to testify under oath what he had accumulated through two decades of stealing the life savings of investors, Edward Moskop was forced to admit he spent nearly all of it. When Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerald Burke asked the 64-year-old swindler where he got the money to pay for his one-way $99 airfare to Denver to report to prison, he said he borrowed it from his mother and his ex-wife. He must report on Jan. 18 to the Englewood Federal Correctional Institution in Littleton, Colo., to serve a 20-year sentence. Under federal rules, he must serve at least 17 years. He must also pay restitution of about $1.5 million. When asked whether Moskop had engaged in illegal gambling, an activity that U.S. Attorney Steve Wigginton previously said his office strongly suspected, Moskop invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self incrimination. His attorney Justin Kuehn, of Belleville, advised him not to answer questions about illegal gambling, including card playing for high stakes.

President Lorenzo Croce added: ‘We know that the Camorra is running dogfights for illegal gambling and holding dogs in what can only be described as canine concentration camps until they are ready to fight. ‘Other animals are also being used in international trafficking for vivisection purposes – we believe that this discovery is just the tip of the iceberg and there are many other dumping sites around the region.’ An investigation has been launched after the bodies of dozens of dogs, cats and rabbits were found dumped in an Italian lake. Officials suspect the dogs were bred for illegal fights, but other animals had single knife wounds which some suggest may have been inflicted during a bloody mafia initiation ceremony.

FIFA’s head of security has once again cranked up the publicity machine in the war against match fixing with fresh evidence of the scale of the problem worldwide. Chris Eaton (pictured), who recently told insideworldfootball that lives were at risk but that over 20 players had nevertheless already come forward to blow the whistle, gave further details today of the attempt to bring the criminals to justice. “We are very concerned about the safety of players [and] officials,” Eaton told a media briefing in Zurich. “There is anecdotal evidence that some players have been killed. “Match fixing is all about stealing money. “It destroys the lives and careers of many people. “Governments should be interested because the amount of money is truly staggering.”

Match fixing and illegal betting has reached such alarming proportions that the former coach of South Korean club Sangmu Phoenix was found dead in October in an apparent suicide, three months after being charged as part of the new crackdown. “We have evidence of players in South Korea committing suicide because of the shame of match-fixing,” said Eaton. “There are players who pay the ultimate price for resisting or for the shame of match fixing.”

He’s accused of stealing more than a million dollars meant to help families of Arizona soldiers serving overseas. Now, we are learning how he was able to do it. According to the Attorney General’s Office, retired Colonel James Burnes was taking and gambling money for years. His co-workers were suspicious, but they figured he’s their boss, so they left it alone. Eventually, the suspicious withdrawals become too much to ignore. Burnes was authorized to handle the charity’s money back in 2001. A few years ago, the suspicious withdrawals began, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to documents obtained from the Department Of Emergency and Military Affairs, Burnes would transfer money between various accounts and request the checks be handed over to him. He would then deposit the money.

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